Wing Chun/Yong Chun - Southern/Northern?

Xue Sheng

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My wife has always said Wing Chun is a Northern Style of Martial Arts but I generally have not put much in that, she is from North China and a TCM Doc but not a martial artist. Also when you are speaking Chinese Martial Arts origin claims and lineage claims can sometimes be based on legend and not fact but I recently bought a book by Ip Chun

“Wing Chun Kung Fu, Traditional Chinese Kung Fu for Self-Defense and Health - By Ip Chun with Michael Tse”

And he talks about the origin of Wing Chun and based on a discussion that Ip Chun had with Pang Nam and some other information that Ip Chun later found and the fact that many of the people that are credited with the origin of Wing Chun cannot be verified, that it may be possible that Wing Chun, at least in part did come form the North.

This really makes little difference to Wing Chun it is still Wing Chun whether it is form the North or the South and it already has enough internal politic issues, so maybe it is best just to leave well enough alone, but I am wondering if anyone else had heard anything about this form any other source.
 
Wing Chun it definitely a southern style as it has a lot in common with other southern styles

Southern Mantis Clip

Fujian White Crane

Canton Southern Fist
 
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I had no doubt of this until I started reading Ip Chun's book and although he did not come out a say it is from the North he did say there is a possibility it came from, or was influenced by, the North.

A story from one guy told to Ip Chun, no matter how confident the story teller is means little but he latter found unassociated records that confirmed at least part of the story

And it Ip Chun is saying thinking this how can anyone be 100% sure?

I probably should have added this in the first post

From the book

“Wing Chun Kung Fu, Traditional Chinese Kung Fu for Self-Defense and Health - By Ip Chun with Michael Tse”

A Topic of Debate

The later history of Wing Chun is well documented, but the early
history is now a topic of great debate. There are very few records to
prove the existence of all the characters and their actual part in the
development of Wing Chun. In fact, Grandmaster Ip Chun has found
evidence to suggest that the accepted story may not be wholly accurate.
In 1982, Ip Chun paid a visit to the elderly Pang Nam (Blackface
Nam) in Foshan. Their discussion turned to the origins of Wing
Chun, and Pang told Ip Chun that Wing Chun was brought to
Foshan from the north by a person called Tan Sau Ng (a nickname
based on the Wing Chun technique Tan Sau). He told Ip Chun that
Yim Wing Chun was only a story book character. Ip Chun said that
he sounded very sure.

Later, Ip Chun unexpectedly unearthed some information about
Tan Sau Ng in old literature on the history of Chinese opera. He said
that the book recorded:

Besides being very accomplished in Chinese opera, Chueng Ng
was especially proficient in martial arts. His Tan Sau was peerless
throughout the martial arts world. Cheung Ng could not stay in
the capital, so he fled and took refuge in Foshan. This was during
the reign of Yung Cheng. This man nicknamed Tan Sau Ng was a
character unsurpassed in literary and military skills.


One day we may learn the whole story, but whatever the case, Wing
Chun is one of the most popular forms of Chinese Kung Fu in the
world. Grandmaster Ip Chun is living proof of its benefits!
 
sounds like an interesting read, casting more light on the murky history of wing chun can only be a good thing.
 
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